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Tech, LCU vigilantly monitoring West African Ebola outbreak

International students from infected countries will be screened thoroughly, Nagy says

Nagy

It’s not an immediate concern, but local study abroad programs are taking note of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

As of Tuesday, the deadly virus had killed about 900 people in the region, according to The Associated Press. Also on Tuesday, the second of two American aid workers infected with the virus entered the United States for medical treatment.

Study abroad officials at Texas Tech and Lubbock Christian University said there are currently no students in either program abroad in the affected countries.

“We’re following the situation every day,” said Tibor Nagy, vice provost of international affairs at Tech.

Nagy, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and New Guinea from the late 1990s through the early 2000s, said any international students from the infected countries coming to Tech will be screened thoroughly by the embassies and port of entry officials.

“If the students show up here, there is an assumption that they’ve gone through the appropriate controls and checks,” Nagy said. “There are not going to be people coming in exhibiting flu-like symptoms.”

Nagy said he would be “extremely reluctant” to send any students or faculty to the affected countries while the crisis continues.

LCU administrator Rod Blackwood said the university did have students studying abroad in Kenya earlier in the summer, but recalled them earlier in July due to the region’s tense political climate.

Currently, he said, two students are studying abroad in Uganda, far removed from the Ebola-affected countries.

“We are always concerned when we send a student overseas, and we investigate where they’re going, where they’re going to be staying, what are the issues that we might face,” Blackwood said.

Though not a necessity in this case, LCU requires its study abroad students to purchase emergency evacuation trip insurance in case of unexpected crises, Blackwood said.

Beckie Brawley, public health coordinator with the Lubbock Health Department, said her office is also monitoring the situation, but doesn’t foresee a direct threat to Lubbock as far as students and faculty studying abroad goes.

“The campuses of both Texas Tech and Lubbock Christian are very aware of the situation, and they do a great job screening their incoming students,” she said.

Though not overly concerned with Ebola finding its way into the city, Brawley said, her office is consistently on alert for the potential importation of measles.